By Hilton Kramer 9/12/05 12:00am

Loner, Misfit Degas: Lover of Bathers Was Never Impressionist

The French painter Edgar Degas (1834-1917) was in some respects the most misunderstood artist of his generation. While his character and his talents disposed him to honor tradition—it was said that the Louvre was Degas’ temple and Ingres his god—he’s nonetheless been identified by art historians as an ally of the Impressionist avant-garde. Owing to Read More

By John Heilpern 3/11/02 12:00am

New Phèdre Is Astonishingly Nuts and Nuttily Astonishing

I must tell you at the outset that the Wooster Group’s experimental version of Racine’s Phèdre –retitled To You, the Birdie! –is an astonishing invention and completely, utterly nuts. If it weren’t so nuts, it wouldn’t be so astonishing. (And vice versa, I guess). Either way, there’s much here that’s new and exciting–not least the Read More